Recessed electric lighting ceiling fixture support and plaster frame



May 29, 1951 B. A. KAEPPEL RECESSED ELECTRIC LIGHTING CEILING FIXTURE SUPPORT AND PLASTER FRAME 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Nov. 8, 1946 INVENTO HIS A TORNEYS.

May 29, 1951 B A. KAEPPEL RECESSED ELECTRIC LIGHTING CEILING FIXTURE SUPPORT AND PLASTER FRAME 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 8, 1946 Q Q Q Q FIG. 4.

FIG. 8.

INVENTORZ I HIS ATTORNEYS Patented May 29, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RECESSED. ELECTRIC LIGHTING CEILING FIXTURE SUPPORT AND IPLASTER FRAME Bertram-A; KaQDpel, Normandy, Mo.,,assignor. to

Day-Brite'Lighting Inc., St. Louis, Mo., a corvowi tMi s Application-November 8, 1946, Se1-ial No. 708,545

sists in the electric lighting ceiling fixture .sup-

port. and plaster frame and in the parts and combinations and arrangements of parts; hereinafterdescribed and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings. which form part of. this specification: and-wherein like symbols refer to like parts wherever they ,occur,

Fig. 1 is a top plan view, showing my electric lighting fixture support and .plaster'frame embodied, in a suspended plaster ceiling,

Fig. 2' is a side elevational view of said'frame, with portions of the plaster ceilingat the ends thereof .shown in the vertical section,

Fig. 3 isan enlarged transverse sectionalview on the line 3-3*in.Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is a. fragmentary .central longitudinal view on theline 4-4 in Fig. 3.,

Fig. 5 is an. enlarged fragmentary topplan viewof one of thetcorner .portionsof the frame,

Fig. 6 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view on the line 6-45 in Fig. 5,

Fig. '7 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan viewof one of theside rails .of the. frame at: the joint between the endwise abutting sections thereof,

Fig. 8 is an inner side. elevational viewofthe partsshown in Fig. "7,

' Fig. 9 is a perspective view of. one. of the side railsections and one of the angle cornercoupling :plates,

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary vertical cross-sectional view showingsa modified arrangement for securing the fixture. housing. to the'frame; and

Fig 11 is a fragmentary horizontalsection on the line; I l-ll in Fig. 10.

In the accompanying drawings, my. electric lighting fixture support.andcplaster frame is shown embodied in. a suspended plaster ceiling I which is appliedto the underside of metal lath-ing 2 that is laced to the undersidesof spacedhorizontal channels 3. which, in turn, are, suspended from a-ifloor "orflroof (not shown) The. frame iszsupported zone the channels 3 .1 and defines 1 the fixture receiving openingin "the.

plaster ceiling I which is laid up against said frame around the foursides thereof flush .with thellower edge thereof. Theframe illustrated in the accompanying drawings is adapted to accommodate two elongated fluorescent lighting fixture housings 4 that are disposed in endwise abutting relation.

"Each side of said frame .is formed by two counterpart sheet metal side rail sections A disposed inendwise abutting relation, andthe ends of the frame are madeof single counterpart sheet metal end rail sections B. Each of the side and end ra'il sections A and B has hollow top and bottom marginal beads!) along the inner side of the upright wall thereof and a single hollow -longitudinalmedial rib 6 along the outer side that has a narrowed entrance or beaded lipportion on the inner side of said section. The hollow outstanding ribs 6 of the side rail sections A extend from end toend thereof, while the corresponding ribs of the end rail sections B terminate short of the ends thereof. The end rail sections'B-have the portions thereof'loc'ated beyond the ends of their hollow. ribs 6 bent at right angles and disposed in endwise abutting relation to the adjacent ends of the side rail sections B;

The side and end rail sections A and B are connectedtogether at each corner of the frame by means of an angular coupling plate 8 having one deg-extending into thehollow rib of aside rail-section and the other leg extending into the hollow rib of *anend: rail section. Each corner coupling plate 8- may be permanently secured inthe hollowrib of an end:rail section B by a rivet 9 and inthehollow rib of a side rail section 'A- by-a bolt H1. The'abutting ends of theside rail sectionsA are secured together by means ofcoupling or splice plates II which extendinto the hollow ribs f said sectionsand are secured therein by bolts I2. The ends of the coupling-plates Band II arebeveled so asto facilitate entry thereof into the ends of the hollow rib: 6.

The fixture housingsA are supported in the frame by means of substantially inverted U or bail-shaped suspension straps l3 of-channel shapedcross-section. The suspension straps l3 span the frame from side to side thereof with their:'depending endportions seated on the outstanding hollowribs ii of the side rail sections A and secured to the vertical portions thereof by means of screws [4. The suspension straps l3 have threaded studs I5-depending fromthe tops thereof that extend downwardly through the tops of the fixture housings 4 and are provided with thumb or wing nuts [6 for suspending said housings from said studs. The suspension straps 13 may be made in different heights for fixture housings of different depths.

In the arrangement shown in the drawings,

the oustanding hollow ribs 6 of the frame seat on the supporting channels 3 adjacent thereto, two of said channel extending lengthwise of the end rail sections B below the outstanding ribs thereof and the channels between said end rail supporting channels being disposed in endwise abutting relation to the outer side faces of the side rail sections A beneath the outstanding ribs thereof. As shown in the drawings, the frame is secured to the plaster ceiling supporting channels 3 by lacing wires or ties I! that extend through registering vertical holes in the channels and in the hollow outstanding ribs 6 of the side and end rail sections A and B of said frame. During the operation of applying the plaster ceiling l around the frame flush with the beaded lower edge thereof, the side rails A of said frame are held in proper spaced relation by means of cross members 19 having down-turned end flanges that fit in vertical openings formed in said side rail sections by portions 20 thereof that are pressed inwardly between pairs of horizontal slits there- In the modified construction shown in Figs. and 11, the fixture housing l supporting straps l3 are dispensed with and the housing is supported in the frame by means of metal plates 2! that are formed at one end with angularly bent flanges 22 and intermediate their ends with prongs 23 that are struck up at the side edges of said plates. With this arrangement, the clips or plates 2| are inserted in openings 24 provided therefor in the side walls of the fixture housing i and their prongs 23 are forced into the hollow ribs 6 of the rail sections through the narrow beaded lip portions 1 thereof, thus firmly anchoring said clips within said ribs.

The hereinbefore described fixture supporting and plaster frame has numerous advantages. It may be readily assembled from different lengths of side and end rail sections to'form a frame of a width and length that will accommodate single or multiple fixtures of different lengths and widths, and suspension straps of different vertical dimensions may be used for fixture housings of different depths. The frame is strong and durable and light in weight and serves as a protecting lining for the fixture receiving opening in the plaster ceiling and as a form for said opening during the plastering operation. The cross ties and struts serve to prevent the side rails of the frame from spreading or collapsing inwardly during the operation of forming the plaster ceiling around said frame and may be easily removed after the plaster has set. The fixture housings may be quickly and easily attached to the frame; and the rail sections of the frame may be quickly and easily secured together along the sides of the frame and at the corners thereof by the means of the straight and angle coupling members.

Obviously, the hereinbefore described combination fixture support and plaster frame admits of considerable modification without departing from the invention. Therefore, I do not wish to be limited to the precise construction shown and described.

What I claim is:

g 1. A unit handled electric lighting fixture supporting and plaster frame assembly for a susassgevs 1. I

pended plaster ceiling comprising separate sheet metal side and end sections with upright walls having outstanding hollow longitudinal ribs along the outer sides thereof adapted to seat on suspension elements for said plaster ceiling, and separate coupling members having angularly disposed end portions extending within and secured to adjacent ends of the hollow ribs of said side and end sections at the corners of said frame.

2. A unit handled electric lighting fixture supporting and plaster frame assembly for a suspended plaster ceiling comprising separate sheet metal side and end sections with upright walls having outstanding hollow longitudinal ribs along the outer sides thereof adapted to seat on suspension elements for said plaster ceiling, separate coupling members having angularly disposed end portions extending within and secured to adjacent ends of the hollow ribs of said side and end sections at the corners of said frame, said side sections having openings in the inner side's thereof adapted to temporarily receive and support tie and strut members for holding said side sections in proper spaced relation during the operation of applying the plaster ceiling around said frames.

3. A unit handled electric lighting fixture supporting and plaster frame assembly for a suspended plaster ceiling comprising separate sheet metal side and end sections with upright walls having beaded top and bottom margins and outstanding hollow longitudinal ribs along the outer sides of said sections between their beaded top and bottom margins adapted to seat on suspension elements for said plaster ceiling, and separate coupling members having angularly disposed end portions extending within and secured to adjacent ends of the hollow ribs of said side and end sections at the corners of said frame.

4. A unit handled electric lighting fixture supporting and plaster frame assembly for a plaster ceiling comprising separate sheet metal side and end sections with upright walls having outstanding hollow longitudinal ribs along the outer sides thereof, separate coupling members having angularly disposed end portions extending within and secured to adjacent ends of the hollow ribs of said side and end sections at the corners of said frame, and an inverted U-shaped strap spanning from side to side of said frame. and rigidly secured thereto for supporting an electric lighting fixture therein.

5. A unit handled electric lighting fixture supporting and plaster frame assembly for a plaster ceiling comprising separate sheet metal side and end sections with upright walls having outstand in hollow longitudinal ribs along th outer sides thereof, separate coupling members having angularly disposed end portions extending within and. secured to adjacent ends of the hollow ribs of said side and end sections at the corners of said frame, inverted U-shaped straps spanning from side to side of said frame with their lower end portions secured to the outer sides of said side sections and seated on the hollow ribs thereof, threaded studs depending from the tops of said straps, and nuts on said studs for suspending said fixture therefrom.

6. An electric lighting ceiling fixture supporting frame comprising separate sheet metal side and end sections having outstanding hollow longitudinal ribs along the outer side faces thereof, and separate angle coupling members extending within and secured to adjacent ends of said hollow ribs of said side and end sections at the cor-' 1| ners of said frame, the hollow ribs of some of said sections having entrance openings on the inner sides thereof, and fixture supports insertable in said grooves through the entrance openings thereof.

7. An electric lighting fixture supporting and plaster frame for a plaster ceiling comprising separate side and end sections having outstanding hollow longitudinal ribs along the outer sides thereof, separate coupling members extending within and secured to adjacent ends of said hollow ribs of said side and end sections at the corners of said frame, the hollow ribs of some of said sections having narrowed entrances through the inner side faces thereof, and plates insertable in said grooves through the narrowed entrances thereof, said plates having thickened portions adapted for forceful entry into said ribs through th narrowed entrances thereof and portions 10-.

cated inside said frame for supporting an electric lighting fixture therein.

BERTRAM A. KAEPPEL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

